Page 82 of Beautiful Harmony

“Probably because you were too busy gossiping like a pair of old wet hens,” Emma said.

She could hear Georgia snickering behind her as Denise and Paula gave her twin looks of shock.

Emma shouldered past the two ladies and pushed open the door, walking out of the diner with a giant grin.

* * *

“What the hell?”Lucas stared at his computer screen, muttering another expletive before rubbing at his temples.

It was after seven on Monday night, and he was tired and hungry and had a headache from lack of food. He hadn’t planned on staying late tonight and wanted nothing more than to be in Emma’s bed. But the development of Shadow Assassins kept hitting roadblock after roadblock. He was nowhere close to finishing what he wanted to get done for the day.

Exactly. So, you might as well pack up and go to Emma’s. You’re not gonna finish anyway, right? We didn’t even get to see her last night.

Helping Connor and his dad with the flooring had taken all afternoon and well into the evening, and by the time he’d gotten home, he was exhausted. He’d had a shower, sent a brief text to Emma, and fallen into bed.

He rubbed at his temples again. He needed to accept he wouldn’t see Emma today and order some damn food before he starved to death. Maybe see if their admin person had any Advil in her desk.

He checked his phone. He’d texted Emma to say he was working late but hadn’t heard back from her. Not that unusual. Monday was always a busy day for her. Still, it couldn’t hurt to text her again, right? Just to say hi and find out how her day went.

He looked up at the light knock on his door, happiness washing over him. “Emma? Hey!”

“Hi.” She stood in his office doorway in jeans and a thick jacket, with her cheeks pink from the cold - and blessed, holy mother - a Nan’s Diner bag in her hand.

He stood, and Emma laughed when his stomach growled. “Guess I made the right decision in bringing you dinner, huh?”

“You brought me dinner?” He crossed his office, smiling at her and reminding himself he couldn’t kiss her.

“I know how you get when you’re working. You lose track of time,” she said.

He glanced out into the hallway before pressing a kiss against her mouth, pushing at her lips with his tongue until she parted them, and he could taste her sweetness.

He gave her bottom lip a gentle nip. “You’re the best, Em.”

Her cheeks were flushed for a different reason now, and she poked him lightly in the stomach. “Lucas, we’re in public.”

He grinned. “Friends say thanks for dinner with a kiss, Emma.”

“Not with tongue,” she said, but she was smiling and didn’t look at all pissed with him for kissing her.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

She nodded and handed him the bag. “It’s the mushroom Swiss burger and fries.”

“Oh, you are a friggin’ lifesaver,” he said.

“Okay, well, I should go,” she said.

“Stay with me while I eat?” He pulled his second chair closer to the desk. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“It’s been thirty-six hours,” she said with a laugh but followed him to the chair. She took off her jacket and folded it over the back before sitting.

Lucas rolled his chair around the desk and sat beside her, opening the bag and pulling out the burger, fries, and a bottle of water. “Oh fuck, this smells so good.”

He bit into the burger, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head. “I swear this burger just gets better and better. It might even help my headache.”

He stuffed some fries into his mouth as Emma rummaged in her purse. She produced a small bottle of Advil and shook two out before opening his water bottle and handing it and the Advil to him.

He swallowed them and wiped his mouth with the napkin before rubbing her thigh. “Thank you, Emma.”

---